Healthy Workers is GREAT for business!!

Are you or your employees stressed, unhealthy, unhappy? We all know we should be moving more, eating healthier less processed foods, getting better sleep quality, and living life more mindfully. BUT, honestly many Australian’s aren’t, and their whole world suffers from their current state…family, friends, and work colleagues… it’s no surprise to find their creativity, productivity and efficiency are also diminished. We should be living life as if it’s our last… but many of us aren’t!!!

Chronic disease is our biggest health challenge in Australia, alarmingly the incidence is continuing to rise. This is having a huge impact on the Australian workforce with research showing people with chronic disease are 60% less likely to participate in the workforce. In addition, depression, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure are estimated to account for 44% productivity loss.

Workplace health can help combat chronic disease and improve business outcomes! With the average worker spending a third of their life at work, the workplace provides the ideal setting to target chronic disease and promote healthy lifestyles. Research shows, workplace health and wellbeing programs can have major benefits for employees but also for organisations with reduction in sick leave, increases in productivity and creativity and improvements in morale. All of this resulting in better business outcomes.

While workplace health and wellness programs are a relatively new concept in Australia, many European businesses have long recognised the benefits of implementing a holistic program into their organisation as a core business strategy. In fact, a review conducted by PwC of 55 case studies in the UK showed a reduction in sick leave and staff turnover to be a major benefit of workplace health programs, resulting in more productivity.

In Australia research shows that employees are extremely appreciative of workplace health programs which play an important role in staff retention and recruitment. In addition, evidence is building to indicate cost benefits of proactive holistic programs ranging from $1.50 to $6.15 for every dollar invested.

Organisations that have implemented a workplace health and wellness program not only show a lower rate of absenteeism, but their employees indicate a higher level of job satisfaction, work morale and retention.

In a case study from Australia a comprehensive health and wellness program resulted in annual savings of $225 per head in absenteeism (based on 5,000 employees), 27% reduction in worker compensation claims and an estimated ROI of $2.3 million in the first two years of the program.

So the evidence is clear, workplace health and wellness programs result in many measurable benefits for both organisations and employees, these include but are not limited to economic return.

1Life Health and Wellness Consulting offers a comprehensive, holistic, bespoke workplace health and wellness program. If you would like to register for your free workplace health assessment and 1 hour wellness presentation contact Tania to arrange a meeting.

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Tania Leishman (Tania Leishman)

Tania Leishman has a wealth of experience in the health and wellness field, owning her own Personal Training business for many years and undertaking an array of courses with a focus on nutrition, weight management and functional training. In 2010 Tania headed back to University to undertake a Health Science Degree majoring in Nutrition, Exercise Science and Health Promotion.